"An inspection was initiated after employees exposed to fall hazards were observed at a West Marietta Street site where apartment buildings were under construction," said Andre Richards, OSHA's Atlanta-West area director.
The general contractor, Philadelphia, Miss.-based W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Co., received two repeat citations with penalties of $42,500 for allegedly failing to provide proper anchorage and free fall distance for fall arrest systems. The company had been cited previously for a substantially similar condition.
Yates also received nine serious citations with additional penalties of $37,500. Cited alleged hazards included:
- Unguarded building edges;
- Aerial lift being moved with workers in the basket and boom extended;
- Falling building debris, and
- Equipment being operated from an improper electrical outlet.
All-Tex Roofing Inc. of Smyrna, Ga., received one repeat citation with a $20,000 penalty for allegedly failing to provide workers with proper fall protection. The company also received a $2,000 fine for one serious citation for allegedly exposing workers to "struck-by" injuries from materials stored too close to roof edges.
Atlantic Forming Inc. of Stone Mountain, Ga., received two serious citations and $8,000 in penalties for allegedly failing to provide employees with properly anchored lifelines and adequate anchor points.
Forms Inc. of Mableton, Ga., received two serious citations with penalties totaling $5,250 for allegedly failing to provide employees with proper fall protection and exposing them to injuries from falling materials.